Nikki reviews: TWO ROADS by L.M. Augustine

Title: TWO ROADS

Author: L.M. Augustine

~Synopsis~

The only person poetry-loving Cali Monroe hates more than herself is Logan Waters, the geeky kid who lives in the dorm building next to hers. 

Ever since Cali's parents told her she would amount to nothing, she has felt entirely inadequate. Friendless and alone, she takes on the mean girl role in hopes it will make her feel better--and Logan serves as the perfect target. He infuriates her with his obnoxiously long lashes, his all too perfect dimpled smile, and his complete lack of personality outside of his intelligence. It doesn't hurt that he's part of the reason her brother is dead, either. So Cali hates him, and he returns the favor. Thus, their prank-filled, insult-driven rivalry is born, and torturing Logan quickly becomes the highlight of her life. 

But when Cali's parents set them up on a blind date, she begins to realize Logan might not be as boring as she always thought. He shares her love of poetry, takes a sadistic pleasure in making fun of crepes, and he makes her blush when he calls her smile pretty. And hey, maybe those long lashes of his aren't that obnoxious after all... 

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Purchase from:

Amazon | B & N

~Review~

Who doesn’t love geeky nerds? Raise your hands and I’ll shoot you. Kidding? NO. I am definitely not.

Hmmm I think that opening line I just wrote is a bit dramatic and war-freak. Let’s do it again.

Who doesn’t love HOT geeky nerds with obnoxious long eyelashes? No one, right? Us bookworms always have that soft spot in our hearts for the geeky book boyfriends. Oh c’mon, admit it, you guys.

As for me, well I recently found a diamond in the form of Logan Waters, my ultimate geeky book boyfriend! I LOVE HIM so much it hurts! (I always have the tendency to be overly dramatic where book boyfriends are concern so please, bear with me.)

So what do we have with TWO ROADS?

1. Poetry. I love books with poetry in them, be it just a little or more than half the book itself. When poetry is involved, it gets a little more interesting for me. So when I read the blurb of Two Roads and there’s the word poetry in there, I was like “Ohhh...” complete with drool and stuff. I was willing to give my internal organs in exchange for an ARC but thank goodness Lucas didn’t require that! Lucky me and my liver and my kidney and other shits. Thanks, Luke! ;-)

2. Humour. I love books that could make me laugh out loud. Not just the normal laugh, but the kind of laugh that causes your mother to run the stairs and check what the hell’s happening with her daughter and when she opens the door she finds her daughter lying on the bed on her stomach, iPad on hand laughing like a lunatic. Yep, story of my life while reading TR.

3. Great characters. I already professed my undying love for Logan Waters but I won’t give him all the credit. I think he wouldn’t be the desirable Logan if not for Cali. They really complement each other, and by compliment I mean annoy the hell out of each other. They are so delightful to watch (I know this isn’t a movie but whatever) when they’re neck to neck strangling each other with non-stop banters, I loved it so much and I wanted to make them into key-chains because they are so cute! Haha!

4. Nerdy math pick-up lines that are printed on Logan’s shirts. Can’t say anything more. Just read the book and you’ll know what I am talking about. I find it so cute and adorable that I wished Logan just comes to life already because I am going to marry him, Cali be damned.

5. Pranks. Ohmigod. The pranks that Logan and Cali came up for each other are borderline genius. (Here, here. Overly dramatic I say? Doesn’t need to remind you that every minute. Yeah?) I read one prank scene and I was like “Why am I so well-behaved during high school and college I didn’t think of doing these things?! WHY?!” LOL. I read another and I was like, “I am so doing this, forget the age. Pranks are for all ages.” Then I went into deep thought of to whom I can apply these awesome pranks and I couldn’t think of anyone. Reality kicks in and I began to weep because I have no Logan in my life. Logan isn’t real. Logan. Why, Logan do you have to be fictional? My life sucks.

6. Banters. I love you Lucas for writing these things!!! (Wait, you’re probably wondering who is this Lucas/Luke I keep mentioning? Well, duh. He’s the author. You know, L.M. Augustine? Yeah. Lucas is his name. Don’t ever argue with me, Lucas! I know you’re reading this!) Okay back to the matter that matters, the banters. (Wow, look what I did there. Take that for poetry Luke! ;-)) I especially love the email exchange between Logan and Cali about the marlin. That is so hilariously adorable! These banters were the fuel in Logan and Cali’s fire. It’s what kept them going. I’m gonna use the following lines from Cali because this perfectly explains what non-sense I am trying to say here. ;-)

“We have this strange way of making each other happy by making each other miserable. We’re basically enemies with benefits, but our benefits are the distractions we give each other...”

7. Conflict (The Ben Issue). I think the conflict has been justifiably executed. It was done right, not just to add drama or anything but it was really a crucial part that played a very big role on the development of the characters along the story. Yes, I sound like a nerd or a wanna-be nerd.

8. HEA. No cliff-hangers. YES! I love book series but I actually love standalones more because they don’t make us wait. Waiting does a lot on people you know. And I love how Logan and Cali’s HEA was delivered even though that meant I have no chance with Logan anymore. I love how they were able to let go of that one thing that keep them from moving on, together. How they were in love with each other all along. I love just how they are meant to be.

9. Cali Monroe. The bitch who stole Logan from me. I really didn’t want to include her here but this list refuses to be complete if I don’t mention her. Even though my heartbreak was because of her I still adore her. She’s a strong girl, stronger than what she gives herself credit for. I mean, we all have our ways of coping up with devastation no matter what the reasons are. I’m in no position to judge Cali on whatever way she chose to cope up with distress. I’m a reader and the writer’s goal is to make me feel empathic toward the heroine which Luke successfully managed to fulfil.

10. Logan Waters. I never ever considered in my life, not even once or not even in my fantasies, to share a man with someone else but for Logan I am giving it a consideration. So Cali, if you are reading this, I am just here waiting. ;-) Logan Waters. My ultimate nerd book boyfriend. I’m no good at this casting stuff but when I started reading TR, there’s only one person in my mind as Logan. And that is... Andrew Garfield. Yes people, Andrew. If you don’t agree, that is not my problem anymore, is it? Go find your own Logan for all I care. But for me he is Logan. Look, how can you not agree with me on this one? Seriously people, he is Logan. Look at him. Just.. LOOK AT HIM. OHMYGOD. I KNOW RIGHT?!!! He's so perfectly fine. Just dress him up with one of Logan's geeky shirts and OMG I wanna go back to college and enroll in a Logan-have-my-babies curriculum. Oh shit, what am I even talking about? I've gone mad people! So sorry not sorry! ;-) So who doesn't love geeky nerdy dorky book boyfriends? Okay good, I no longer see raised hands. Good girls. ;-)

I think I am done listing stuff that gives TR its own life. You know how bookworms tend to have their own lists of their self-made book categories like books-that-make-me-want-to-slap-every-person-I-see or books-that-made-me-ugly-cry, those kinds of lists. Well, I have a list which is dedicated for geeky, nerdy, dorky vibes and I named that one books-that-make-me-want-to-wear-eyeglasses-that-would-instantly-turn-me-into-a-mathematician. TWO ROADS is currently at the top of that list, along with Luke’s other book, Click to Subscribe. L.M. is so pro at writing these things I honestly believe he’s one of them. I know he’s a self-proclaimed dork, but when I was reading TR I told him that maybe he’s the real Logan. Maybe he’s real name is Logan Martin Augustine? When will you ever tell me, Lucas? ;-) Okay, let me use this space to thank the mind behind this charming story. Thanks L.M. for writing these kinds of stuff. I mean, every once in a while bookworms need fresh and light stories like this one. Not always those stories full of angst and issues that made readers want to be admitted in an asylum. Well, you know what I mean people. ;-)

Here's my playlist for Logan and Cali's story :

Pray For You by Jaron and the Long Road
Cat and Mouse by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Petals Back On The Rose by Jaron and the Long Road
Let's Be Us Again by Lonestar
It's Always Been You by Chris August

(If you want to view the playlist on YouTube, click here)

~Playlist~  

For my book playlist I had a very hard time looking for songs that would perfectly fit Logan and Cali’s life stories. Really, really hard time. I found this one song and when I heard it, I immediately thought of Logan and Cali and their banters. The whole song doesn’t really fit but ohmygod the chorus is so perfect. You heard the song Pray for You by Jaron and the Long Road? Riiight?!!! If you haven’t heard it, well it’s in the playlist above and I included some lines from the song’s chorus. Here goes:

I pray your brakes go out runnin' down a hill

I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill

And knocks you in the head like I'd like to

I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls

I pray you're flyin' high when your engine stalls

I pray all your dreams never come true

Just know wherever you are, honey, I pray for you

Other songs in the playlists were included because they’re the ones I was listening to while writing this review. The Cat and Mouse by Red Jumpsuit well maybe because of the title. Haha! I am so not good at these stuffs I swear! Most of the songs I chose only have parts that fit TR, not the whole song. Just like this another song by Jaron and the Long Road entitled Petals Back on the Rose:

Can we put the petals back on the rose?

It's been you and me and this stem of thorns from a long time of lows.

Sadness and frustration.

Sometimes that's how it goes.

But baby tonight I start to put the petals back on the rose.

And this part from Let’s Be Us Again by Lonestar:

Look at me I’m way past pride

Isn't there some way that we can try

To be us again

Even if it takes a while

I'll wait right here until I see that smile

That says we're us again

Despite my incompetence on finding fitting songs, I think I nailed it with this one. I chose It’s Always Been You by Christ August as Logan’s song for Cali. Enjoy.

It's always been You

From the day that I saw You

From a heart that was broken

I was changed into something brand new 

Like a butterfly learning

How to use my wings to fly like the wind

I gotta make it home again 

It's always been You

Seeing deeper than the surface

With a smile You demolish

All my walls You can always break through 

To the heart of the matter

No matter what I try to do

When I hide from the sun

You come and change my point of view 

And I'm sorry for the things I've done

When You ran to me, I turned to run

But You were waiting when I came undone

And needed something to hold on to 

'Cause it's always been You

In the heat of the moment

When the pain was so real

And the scars on my heart were still wounds 

I gotta stop hiding

From the one thing that's left to do

I know what I gotta do 

And I'm sorry for the things I've done

When You ran to me, I turned to run

But You were waiting when I came undone

And needed something to hold on to

It's always been You 

I wake up, I wake up

To the morning light, to Your morning light

I wake up, I wake up

'Cause You shine so bright 

I'm sorry for the things I've done

When You ran to me, I turned to run

Yeah, You were waiting, You were waiting 

And I'm sorry for the things I've done

When You ran to me, I turned to run

But You were waiting when I came undone

You gave me something to hold on to 

Yeah, it's always been You

Oh, it's always been You

Oh, it's always been You

And I want to end this review by leaving you guys my most favourite quote from TWO ROADS.

“Because if someone, just by their existence, can brighten up your whole day, you have to try like hell to keep them in your life.” 

~L.M. Augustine, Two Roads

Rating:

DIAMOND RECORD

About the Author:

L.M. Augustine is a YA romance author who is obsessed with writing about dorky teenagers, love, and happy endings. He currently lives in New England, where he spends far too much time reading books and screaming at his computer, and he believes that the solution to the world’s problems can be found in chocolate cake. Click To Subscribe is his first novel, but it won’t be his last. Find Lucas on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Website